Puncture-proof tire.



T. M. EYNON'.

PUNTURE PROF TIRE.

AYPLIGATION FILED FEB. 9. 1909.

Patented Mar.7.19 11.

THOMAS M. EYNN, 0F PHILADEIPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PUNCTURE-PROOF TIRE.

ASpecification of Letters Patent.

I atented Mar. *7, 1911.

Application led February 9, 1909. Serial No. 476,974.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. E YNoN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Puncture-Proof Tire, of which thefollowing is a specification.`

My invention relates 'to a novel construction of a puncture prooftirewhich is applicable to that class of Wheels provided with cushioningdevices for absorbingthe shocks and jars incident to the movement of avehicle over a road and the objectof my invention is to provide a tireapplicable to motor cars and vehicles generally, with a cushioningdevice which while serving every purpose of the iuatcd tires newgenerally employed in absorbing shocks and j ars, shall at the same timebe extremely durable in construction. sightly in appearance andcomparatively cheap in its manufacture and maintenance.

To the above ends my invention consists of a novel construction of shoeswhich are preferably located along the inner surface of a resilienttire, said shoes being each provided with an extension projecting intoa, thiinble which is inserted through the rim of the wheel. said thimblebeing' held in postion'by a. novel construction of lockingnut, thelatter being Aadapted to also hold in position, tension devices locatedbetween said thimble and shoe.

My invention further consists of a novel construction of locking nuthaving dowel pins projecting therefrom. which are adapted to engage thecontiguousportion of the tire and the coacting rim.

My invention further consist-s of a nove construction of pivoted orinovably connected shoes circui'nferentially arranged within theinterior of the tire, said shoes being pressed outi-ardly insubstantially a radial line by suitable tension devices, which are heldin position by thimbles and locking or retaining nut-s of novelconstruction.

It further consists of other novel features, of construction, all as'will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the.accompanying drawingsA one form thereof which is at present preferredby me, since the same has been found in practice to give Satisfactoryand reliable results,l aithough it is to be understood that the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously`arranged and organized and that my inven- Vtion is not limited to theprecise arrangement and organization `of these instrumentalities asVherein shown and described.

AFigure 1 representsa circumferential section of a Wheel embodying myinvention.

Fig. 9 represents a section of the structure shown in Fig. 1 upon linei/-i/ thereof. Fig. 3 represents a Asection corresponding to Fig. 2 ofamodified forni of my invention.

Fig. 4: represents a' broken section of a modirim 2 upon which the tire3 is supported, the

latter consisting `ofa tread 4 and the preferably thickened portions 5and (i and connecting webs 7 and 8, said base 'portions fitting withinthe recess or flange 9 on each side of the rim. I have preferred tospace apart the juxtaposed faces 10 and 11 of the tire b v substantiallythe distance shown corresponding to the width of atubular nuthereinafter referred to but this spacing may evidently he varied wheredesired.

I distend the tire by means of 'shoes 12 which arc made of suitablematerial and preferably pivoted at 13, the distance between the shoesand the lines of the pivoting being such as to permit one, shoe in thismanner to draw another downwardly with it without .necessitating muchside movement of any of the shoes as shown 'with the guiding deviceshereinafter specified. The slight lateral movement of the shoes towardeach other by reason of their radial movement within .the tire is takencare of bythe spacing of the shoes, as stated, and by any requiredlooseiiess of the pivotal joint. /Vhen it is remembered that these shoesare ofico short length vand upon a radius of, for ext ample, fifteeninches, it will be seen that little, if any, special provision for thisneed be made. I provide the shoes. with rigid preferably hollowextensions or guides 14, and I surround this guide or extensionpreferably by a spiralspi'ing or suitable resilient means 15 which restsupon the top of a tubular bolt or thimble 16 Within whose bore 17 theguide 14 engages and tits. there desiredI place washers 18 beneath thespiral Yspring or its equivalent 15`br 31,

tensions to pass over the outer edge of the4 rim. This can readily bedone before the completion of theF structure because the tire upon theopposite side of the wheel will sp1-lng inwardly to suficient extent topermit of this additional outward movement without any dependence uponthe elasticity of the tire itself. The exact lengt-h of these tubularextensions would of course be suited to the character of the tire andrim which were to be used together. Another method of assemblage ofthese parts within the tire and upon the rim is to place the shoes withtheir extensions within the tire, inclining them with respect to theradius of the Wheel yat that point, and within a plane through 'the axisof the wheel, thus canting the shoes to pass their extensionsl over therim and within the relatively large openings in the rim. As this is donebefore the tubular bolts or thimbles 16 are put in place, the openingsin the rim permit considerable angular relation of the hollow extensionwith respect to the radius at this point.

- The hollow thimble 16 is inserted within the aperture 19in the rim 2and its extent of movement is limited by the shoulder 20 preferably ofhexagonal or otherpolygonal contour 2l adapted for the applicationof awrench thereto. The ,socket isinternally threaded at 22 for engagementwith a nut 23` which is adapted for engagement with, the tire preferablyby having a rectangular. plate or flange 24 and the pins 25 projectingtherefrom. These pins are of any desired number and preferably lie uponthe sides only where they engage within apertures 26 and 27 inthe bases5 and 6 of the tire. The extremitiesl 28, 29 of adjoining plates oranges may approach each other to any desired extent.l I have shown theplates or anges as fiat, but thev may be of any lsuitable shape. '1`hetubular nut -thus performs -the double function of holding the'tubular'socket in position 'and of rigidly securing the base of the tire inplace.'

The exterior of each of the shoes 12 are preferably provided lwith afacing 30 for engagement with the-interior of thc`-tire for frictionalpurposes where needed to reduce. the tendency. to creep or to avoidfriction.- y

It will thus be seen that I provide interior means o`f adjust-ment ofthe degree of compression, tightening means forthe tire and a guidingsocket and that I provide spring-V distension ofthe shoes within thetire and guiding mechanism therefor and that I act-nata adjoining shoeswith each shoe in its vdownward movement thereby avoiding excessiveindependent movement of the` same and bringing into play 'adjoiningspringsto support each independent spring inits action.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the same'xformjof` rim, tire, nut guide and shoe,but have made the spring support or tension devlce of rubber or similarresillent material 31. I also employ the washers 18 in this form which'p the construction can of course be used in seen in- Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a modificatip'n of the hinging means shown inFig. 1 wherein I provide the hinge 13 in line with the approximatecenters of the adjoiningshoes, and

in Fig. 5, I have illustrated another hinging-device, limited, however,in this case to effect one adjoining shoe only in the int-erlocking ears32 and-33 which engageeach other to cause the adjacent shoes to move inunison.

Itwill-be evident that I attain complete protection against leakage ofdust and dirt to the interior of the tire without sacrifice of closeconvenientl At the -same time, repairs can be made quickly and readilyon the road if necessary. All of the parts are readily accessible andthe springs and other either individually or 1n unity at any time.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent. is 2 I l. In a device of the character stated,a rim, a hollow thimble passing through Said rim, a tire having basemembers, a nut retaining said thimble and the base members of said tire,a shoe within thetire, a guide parts can be replacedV adjustment of theparts.

projecting from said shoe into said thimble,

.and a shoe-supporting spring exterior to bolt'extending through thelrim and having a threaded outer end, a flanged nut4 upon said end andhaving projections upon the flanges to pass through the base members ofthe tireand to engage the rim, said nut clamping said base membersbetween its ange and the rim, a shoe within the tire, and a tensionmember ooperati'ng with one ofthe t-ire clamping members for forcing theshoe against the'interior of the tread of the tire.

3. In a device of 'the character stated, a tire open'upon the inside, arim upon and withinwhich the terminal edges of the tire are seated, aradially extending tubular bolt and' nut clamping the tire against therim, projections upon'one of the itubularjnemthe character stated, a'

bers passing through the tire and engaging the inner vthreaded end ofsaid thimble, pins the rim, and resilient means extending Within saidnut extending through said `tire into in one of the tubular members andsupportsaid rim, a shoe engaging the interior of ing the tire. saidtire, a guide on said shoe engaging the 5 4. In deyioe of the characterstated, a in ner'bore of said thimble and a tension de- 15 Wheel rim, aresilient tire having thickened vice intermediate said thimble and shoe.base members seated on said rim, a hollow v THOMAS M. EYNON. thinibleextending through said-` rim, and Witnesses:

having a polygonal shoulder thereon', adaptl W. S. JACKSON, i0 ed Vtoabut against Said rim, a n'ut engaging C. D. MCVAY.

